Ben Franklin said, “Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.”

I believe he was talking about physical security, but it applies equally to “economic security.”

As I watch the explosion of the Federal Government that is spreading it’s power into every corner of our lives I have been asking myself “what would you be willing to endure for the sake of liberty?”

I have been asking this question for some time now as I watched George Bush and the Republican congress massively expand the government. No Child Left Behind. Medicare Prescription Coverage. The Wall Street Bailout. None of this should have ever happened. But Bush & Company were mere nickel and dime hustlers in the government expansion racket. They cannot hold a candle to the likes of Obama & Friends.

SCHIP - the all important foot in the door of socialized medicine has already passed congress and been signed into law.

Then there is the trillion dollar government stimulus bill. Quite possibly the largest expansion of government by any administration, and it will be passed in less than a month of The One taking office.

Buried in this legislation is language that will expand medicare and have the government paying a majority of the COBRA payments for the recently unemployed. Taking one more step through the door of socialized medicine.

The One has already demonstrated that those who take government money must dance to the tune he is playing. Just ask the CEO of Bank of America how much he likes the idea of his new $500k salary. It is an old saying that he who takes the king’s gold plays the king’s tune. At the rate we’re going, soon all money will be the government’s money and we will all be playing or dancing as The One commands.

Members of Congress have been floating the idea of expanding The One’s salary cap beyond bail-out recipients to the economy as whole. Others have broached the idea of bringing back the censorship of the “Fairness Doctrine.”

Through it all we hear the constant admonitions that the government must act and that it must act now. Even the members of the Republican party go along to the extent that they agree government must act now - their only disagreement seems to be over how much to expand the government at once. All the while, everyone knows that what they are calling an economic stimulus will do nothing to stimulate the economy.

But what would happen if the government did nothing? What it is the worst it could get? Could it equal or surpass the the Carter 70s? Could it equal or surpass the Depression? Is that too great a price to pay for liberty?

So I ask, What would you be willing to endure for the sake of liberty?

I think John F. Kennedy gave the only answer:

Posted by: Stephen Macklin at 09:41 PM | No Comments | Add Comment